[LA Life] An Immersive + Artistic Dining Experience This Summer at Monkey Town

This June marks my eighth year in Los Angeles, in eight years I’ve been here – I’ve become ‘more or less‘ well rounded – or so I’d like to believe. Sure, I’ve finally visited another continent, and I’ve developed some new hobbies and honed in on a few skill sets; I’ve volunteered with animal shelters and around my neighborhood – but when it comes to entertainment, I can’t say that much has changed. I still rock half the music I listened to back then, because have you listened to Boys Noize, Tiesto, Spor, Bassnectar, NERO or Ferry Corsten pre-2010; it’s utterly fantastic, right?! Needless to say – I landed in Los Angeles as I was falling in love with a music scene and eight years later, I’m up to my neck in it – listening with my robot ears as I take bits of bytes, eating, breathing and even sleeping music.

Working in the entertainment industry for the last five years, I’ve always had my ear to the ground, itching to learn about fringe events, off the grid happenings and underground souls. For years, I’ve told my friends that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result, so here I am – ready to step out of my personally prescribed insanity and into something completely new. Thank goodness for serendipitous moments. This morning, a post floated through my feed about a pop up experience in Downtown LA called Monkey Town, and I had to stop and take a gander. A one of a kind intimate affair featuring immersive art, live entertainment and dining experience – Monkey Town is just what the doctor ordered, and it couldn’t come soon enough.

Photo: MonkeyTown NYC from Daniel Lober/Favoreat

Curated by Montgomery Knott in tandem with Lex Brown, Robert Crouch, Michael Smoller and Ricky Jonsson Jr and Kristen Brinshot og Ghosting.tv, Monkey Town has become a standing symbol of New York’s arts scene, spending a solid decade stimulating senses in the Big Apple before parting ways for Denver, Barcelona, and finally Austin earlier this year. This Summer, the reverie is stopping by The Reef in Downtown Los Angles for the seventh, and final, edition of Monkey Town. From June 1st to October 1st, revelers will dine and dream with a two hour multi channel video program featuring over a dozen artists, live entertainment that changes weekly, a four or five star meal from a internationally renowned chef – from inside a massive 27 foot, white cube with the images projected on every side. Oh yes, I said dinner and a show, with a delicious meal prepared by none other than Nick Montgomery, head chef at LA’s Osso with stints at New York’s Momufuku and Chicago’s Blackbird.

I’m not one to sleep on an awesome experience, and I’d rather be one of those people that gets to experience it while it’s novel instead of waiting to read the reviews and scrounging for tickets last minute (cough*The Broad*cough*) – so, Danny and I are going to a showing on Sunday, 6/5 at 6:30; it promises to be an excellent evening, I dare you to put on your big kid pants and come play. Even better, for those that go in the first few weeks of June – you can save $20 a ticket, which at 45-65 a seat depending on the day is an absolute steal! Simply use the code EARLY20 to save, the offer is valid until Thursday, 5/12 at Midnight. If you’re in the mood for something new and on the prowl for something novel, jump the gun and by some tickets for the first two weeks; I mean, come on – have I ever steered you wrong? Not to pull your chain, but – Monkey Town is actually closing after this run – that’s right, Monkey Town will be no more. So don’t be a Monkey’s Uncle, do it right – and come be part of one of the best things to happen to the creative sphere.